Cuomo brokers deal to avert LIRR strike

Anthony Simon, general chairman of the United Transportation Union, left, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Thomas Prendergast, right, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo share a collective hand shake after a tentative labor agreement for the Long Island Rail Road was reached.

Credit AP/Richard Drew

A deal to avert a crippling labor strike on the Long Island Rail Road has been reached.

Union and MTA leaders signed an agreement today that both sides said is equitable and will not cause a fair hike. However, exact details of the contract were not given.

During a news conference with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo negotiators said the deal will not affect the bottom line of the cash-strapped MTA nor will the new contract impede infrastructure improvements. Cuomo said the contract includes a 17% wage increase and worker give-backs.

“And they were primarily identified in the areas of healthcare costs for all employees and then for new employees wage progression, pensions costs, and health costs,” Cuomo said.

As late as Tuesday, both sides said they were deadlocked over how lucrative the pensions for future union workers should be.

The MTA said they could not afford what the unions wanted. What the unions ended up getting has not been disclosed yet.

Both the unions and MTA say their respective members will approve the deal.